Bruiser

Jason was off today, so he was tasked with dropping off and picking up children from schools. When he arrived at Riderwood to retrieve Ainsley, he was surprised to run into her teacher Mrs. Buchman. Mrs. Buchman was surprised as well to see him but glad for the encounter. Apparently she needed to speak to us about Ainsley's behavior today.

Apparently while waiting in line for the water fountain, Ainsley became impatient with the boy in front of her, who was at the time drinking from the fountain. In her frustration she hauled off and punched him in the back. Yes, folks, that's right, PUNCHED him. Read it again because it is impossible to believe. But yet it is true. Little petite dainty Princess Ainsley punched a boy!

On the walk home, Jason grilled her. I wasn't present for the actual questioning, but I can only imagine there was no less than 100 questions fired at her. It was when I pulled in the driveway that it seemed to start sinking in for her. I got out of the car and she quietly approached me. I could tell by the look in her eyes something was askew, I asked her what was wrong, and she welled up and started bawling. So much so I couldn't understand what the heck she was saying. After getting her to calm down a bit the story finally came out. Jason helped fill in the gaps of her story while she interjected the best defense she could come up with. After all the pieces were put together the whole story includes the following details (the truth of which I cannot vouch for!).

She was thirstier than Graham (the victim) and he was taking too long. It was his fault.

When she was sent to the office after the incident, she was apparently crying so hard that the office staff couldn't figure out why she was there and proceeded to give her a stuffed animal and send her back to her classroom. Ainsley now thinks that going to the office yields toys and prizes!

During art class, Ainsley was rewarded with a "coupon" for her good behavior.

After all the facts came to light, we sent her to her room so that we could discuss an appropriate punishment. What we came up with is the following: She had to call all the grandparents and tell them what happened. She also lost her television privileges for two weeks. And she has to write an apology to Graham and give up her coupon to him on Monday. That last one really hit home and produced even more tears.....

Little Miss Bruiser now. Watch out boys, here she comes.

The Mother of All Updates...

I know I've been really bad about my blogging lately so here's the Mother of all updates.

Dr. Zee the Optho Neurologist saw Jackson a few weeks ago. It seems his Ocular Motor Apraxia is slightly improved (Dr. Zee rated it a 15% improvement). And with more time it should improve even more, although it is uncertain if it will ever go away entirely.

Dr. Collins, the Opthamologist, said Jackson is farsighted, although that is fairly common in children and is still within the normal range for his age group. So no glasses, yet. She'll see him back in six months.

Dr. Cohn, the Genetic Neurologist, has ordered more testing for Jack. He is to have an xray of his spine to check for Scoliosis. We will be drawing blood to repeat his acylcarnitine profile, since his liver enzymes were high when last tested. And last, but not least, Jack will undergo an EMG (Electromyography) to test muscle and nerve function. It's not a pleasant procedure, it involves needles and electric current and NO anesthesia. But it will yield some valuable information about Jack's nerve conduction and muscle function. Hopefully it will be worth the unpleasantness.

All of us, with the exception of Jason, have had our Flu vaccines already. Armed and prepared for the winter months which will, with any luck, turn out to be very uneventful.